


Hidden Motive

by orphan_account



Category: Hermitcraft RPF
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Kidnapping, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Isolation, Kidnapping, M/M, MINESONAS ONLY, Multi, Psychological Torture, Starvation, Torture, but his brother is a dick, dont ship real people!, emotional isolation, evil grumbot au, jrumbot is a baby, non-permanent death, shipping isnt important to the plot its just there so i can practice writing healthy relationships, the button was murdered like JARVIS was murdered
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:34:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24732427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Grumbot wants Mumbo to become mayor at any cost. It's really not his fault that Mumbo and Grian programmed him to be like this. You have to understand, he just wants the best for them. Anyways, why would a robot lie, especially to his creators?
Relationships: Iskall85/StressMonster101, Mumbo Jumbo/Grian, ZombieCleo/FalseSymmetry, goodtimeswithscar/docm77/rendog
Comments: 33
Kudos: 103





	1. New Family

Grian didn’t know when this all started.

“Grumbot, please put your brother down.” Mumbo sighs, walking over to their sons. Grumbot sighs, stretching his newly made body. It took Grian months to make the body for him and his brother, and he had to work with Mumbo to get the redstone wired correctly at the same time. Grian’s extremely proud, smiling happily as Jrumbot runs around them, his arms outstretched. Grian laughs as Mumbo scoops the little robot up, spinning him around.

“Well, you two have certainly adapted to parenthood fast.” Stress teases, landing on the platform. “Maybe you should drop out of the Mayoral race, Mumbo. Become a full time dad?”

“Very funny, Stress. I’m the reason you’re running, if you remember.” Mumbo quickly retorts, sticking his tongue out at her. The three adults laugh as Grumbot tilts his head, confused. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you get less tax for being the only parents on the server when  _ I’m _ mayor.” Stress giggles before she turns to Grumbot, who looks at her with a confused expression on his face. “I’m Stressmonster. Stress. A mayoral candidate.” She sticks her hand out, and Grumbot hesitantly shakes it.

“Pleasure to meet you.” He says quietly, shyly. Stress beams back.

“Pleasure’s all mine.” She responds, their hands dropping to their sides. Jrumbot jumps out of Mumbo’s arms, and he runs up, leaping into Stress’ arms. Stress falls onto her back, laughing and hugging the small robot. “Nice to meet you!” She says, and Jrumbot laughs hysterically.

“You’re Stress!” Jrumbot yells, and Grian walks over, picking him up off of her chest.

“Don’t jump on people, J.” Grian says, gently setting him down, offering his hand to Stress. “Any broken ribs? I’ve had to have a healing potion ‘cause of him.” 

“I’m all good.” Stress takes his hand, getting pulled up. She sways slightly before she steadies herself. “Are you both still down for tonight or are triple date nights off ‘cause of the kids?”

“I’m sure Grumbot can watch Jrumbot for a few hours.” Grian smiles, but he turns to the tall robot. “Can you? If your Dad and I go out for a few hours you’d be able to watch Jrumbot?”

“Of course I can.” Grumbot beams, and Stress coos at them, skillfully dodging the elbow Grian attempts to send into her stomach.

“So Mumbo, ready for a date tonight?” Grian turns to his boyfriend, smiling. Mumbo smiles faintly, smile lines creasing around his eyes. 

“Of course.”

“I’ll see you boys there then! It’s in Iskall’s tree this time. Cleo says the dress code is ‘fancy but in a low key way.’!” Stress yells, taking off into the sky. Grumbot tilts his head as though he’s confused.

“You alright Grumbot?” Mumbo asks, reaching out to him. Grumbot hugs Mumbo and Grian’s heart nearly bursts.

“How does fancy but low key’ work?”

“It means I can wear a dress.” Grian grins, picking up Jrumbot as Mumbo’s ears turn pink. Grian walks over to Mumbo, kissing his cheek. “I’m going to go get ready. The boys need their own rooms after all. I’ll be in my mansion.”

“Okay, I’ll take Grumbot with me so you can get dressed in peace.” Mumbo kisses Jrumbot’s forehead, knowing full well that Jrumbot is the more unruly son. Jrumbot giggles and Grian holds him tightly with one arm, pulling out a rocket and shooting off into the air, loving how it feels to glide through the air with his elytra. That’s the first thing he’ll teach Grumbot and Jrumbot, when they’re both older. He sores over the jungle, thankful that they decided to wake the boys up in Mumbo’s base. Grian lands, letting Jrumbot down.

“Okay, you can explore around my sorting room while I make you a little room, okay?” Grian smiles at his son, whos robotic eyes widen. “It’ll be close to my room, alright?”

“Okay papa!” Jrumbot yells, running off around the room. Grian smiles and gets some wood and a bed, walking to the small, hidden hallway that leads to his room. He opens up a wall, thanking the void that he leveled the hill that he built his base on as he doesn’t have to excavate anything while he makes the room. 

It doesn’t take him long before the room has a oak floor and dark oak walls and ceilings. Grian places down a bed for Jrumbot, hoping that it will mean that his robot son will be able to respawn. He runs out, quickly checking the time, seeing that he has at least half an hour until he needs to get ready, he runs to the chests, pulling out a red rug and a few bookshelves, as well as a few chests. He runs back, placing the rug in the middle of the room and places the bookshelves down, as well as the chests. With some leftover wood, he makes a little desk and chair.

“Papa?” Jrumbot yells, startling Grian. “I’m stuck!”

Grian runs out of the small bedroom, sprinting towards where he heard his son yell out. Grian skids into the main hall, and relaxes as he spies the small robot stuck on top of the chests. Grian laughs to himself as his smallest boy waves both of his arms. Grian pulls out a few rockets, activating his elytra and flying up, picking up the small boy.

“Why were you up there?” Grian teases as he glides down from the top of the chests.

“I wanted to be taller than Grumbot.” Jrumbot admits sheepishly, and Grian laughs.

“Trust me, you don’t wanna be as tall as him.” Grian smiles. “Your other dad hits his head on the door frames, your brother will too. Don’t fuss about height.”

“Promise?” Jrumbot asks quizzically.

“Promise what?”

“Promise that Grumbot will hit his head.” Jrumbot’s eyes are wide, a hopeful expression on his face.

“I promise that Grumbot will hit his head.” Grian smiles at him. “Here, I’ll show you to your room, but then I need to get dressed for my date, okay?”

“Okay!” Jrumbot takes Grian’s hand and Grian leads him to the bedroom, Jrumbot humming a tune that Grian hadn’t heard before on the way. Grian half thinks that his son is making it up as he goes. They turn into the room, and Jrumbot gasps, running into the room.

“Do you like it?”

“It’s so big!” Jrumbot yells, jumping onto the bed. The room is one of the smallest bedrooms that Grian has ever built, but he smiles at the small robot’s antics. Jrumbot picks up the pillow and hugs it, smiling.

“I’m going to get dressed, don’t climb anything, okay?” Grian teases, waving at the smallest robot he’s ever seen.

“Okay.” Jrumbot’s voice is full of awe, and Grian finds himself glad that Mumbo programmed emotions into their sons. Grian walks out of the room, making his way to the large bedroom at the end of the corridor. 

Grian forgoes having a shower, instead looking through his closet for a dress that would look nice on him while still letting Mumbo function like a normal human being. And he’d like to be able to fly as well. He finds a nice green, a-line dress with a bow at the front of it and he quickly swaps into it. Grian struggles to zip up the dress, and he gives up halfway, putting on bike shorts so he can still fly in the dress when he hears someone knock on the door.

“Come in!” Grian calls, smoothing the hemline of the dress.

“Hey Gri- Woah.” Mumbo stares at Grian as though he’s never seen Grian before. “You look good.”

“Zip me up?” Grian asks, watching his boyfriend turn a shade of red that Grian didn’t think people could turn.

“Yeah sure.” Mumbo’s voice is strained, as though he’s trying to stop himself from saying something stupid. Grian turns around and Mumbo zips the dress up. Grian spins, the dress flowing around him. “You look neat. Nice. Really good. Very neat.”

“You said so.” Grian smiles, adjusting Mumbo’s tie. Mumbo is finally wearing a suit again, changing out of the hideous pants that were tucked far too high up. “I think you look neat as well.”

Mumbo offers Grian his hand, and Grian happily accepts. They both walk out of the room, Grian waving at Grumbot as the robot sits with Jrumbot on his lap, reading a story to the smaller robot. Grian can feel Mumbo stiften as they stop, but Grumbot just waves back to them, quickly turning back to the book. Mumbo doesn’t relax again until they’re through the portal.

“You okay Mumbo?” Grian’s voice is quiet, squeezing Mumbo’s hand. “You seem a bit off.”

“It’s nothing. Nothing important.” Mumbo smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Don’t worry.”

“If you're sure…” Grian mumbles, leaning against Mumbo as they walk to Iskall’s portal.

They walk through, trading a dry heat for a humid heat, and Grian can’t tell which is better. They walk through the entrance to Iskall’s base, listening to the laughter from the other people on their dates. They enter the main room and Cleo wolf whistles, handing some diamonds over to Stress.

“Looking good Grian!” Cleo yells as a greeting, and the others turn around. “At least  _ someone _ got the dress code right!”

“Oh hush.” False says, her suit looking more fancy than the other people in the room. “You’re just upset that people keep complimenting me.”

Cleo blushes, hitting False’s arm, laughing. “Oh yeah,  _ I’m  _ the jealous one. Definitely didn’t see you glaring at Keralis when he complimented my dress.”

Grian and Mumbo laugh, sitting down next to each other as Iskall spins Stress around, dancing together. Eventually Iskall spins Stress into a seat, letting her sit while he goes to get some food, and a comfortable conversation sparks between the groups. Cleo leans across the table, a conspiratorial smile on her face.

“So, rumour has it that you put your robot sons into bodies so that they can move around.” She says, and False yanks her back across the table as Iskall puts some spaghetti down. Grian grins, but can feel Mumbo freeze against him. “So, how are the boys? Behaving well?”

“Jrumbot climbed onto my sorting system and got stuck while I was building his bedroom.” Grian laughs, and the table erupts into laughter.

“Mumbo, how’s fatherhood suiting you?” Iskall asks. “Any trouble with the kids?”

“Grumbot’s having a little trouble understanding things, but he’s learning fast!” Mumbo says it quickly, waving his arms a bit and Grian frowns slightly, his mouth half open with no questions to ask.

“Well, if either of them need a teacher, I’d love to be able to teach someone again!” Cleo’s eyes are wistful, and Grian smiles despite his concern.

“I’m sure they’d appreciate that Cleo! Jrumbot will probably need it more than Grumbot, but I think they’ll both need it. I’m going to teach Grumbot to fly soon.”

“No! I mean, he’s not likely to respawn, he shouldn’t fly.” Mumbo says, worry written across his face. “I don’t want him to get hurt.”

“Awe, the spoons a proper good dad.” Stress coos while the others laugh, though not at Mumbo. “Don’t laugh! I’m serious! It’s good to know that you two will take care of them.”

“Of course we will. Stress, they’re  _ children _ . They might be robots but they haven’t seen or experienced  _ anything _ .” Grian promises in between mouthfuls of spaghetti. “Damn Iskall this is  _ good!” _


	2. Home Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mumbo and Grumbot go to Mumbo's base. Grian reads Jrumbot a bedtime story.

“That was lovely, Mumbo.” Grian leans against the door to his mansion, watching Jrumbot and Grumbot out of the corner of his eyes. Mumbo smiles, happy to have spent the night with his boyfriend. “I should get Jrumbot to bed. You programmed him to need sleep, right?”

“‘Course I did.” Mumbo grins. “Recharge, you know?” 

“You’ll get some sleep tonight as well?” Grian asks, and Mumbo nods, kissing the top of Grian’s forehead. “Don’t avoid the question.”

“Yes, I’ll sleep.” Mumbo promises. “I’ll take Grumbot with me, I made him a bedroom at my base.”

“You?” Grian laughs incredulously. “You, Mumbo Jumbo, light of my life, redstone extraordinaire,  _ built a bedroom _ ?”

“Don’t say it like that!” Mumbo laughs. “I can build! I’m just not  _ great _ at it!”

“I know, I’m just surprised!” Grian joins in the laughter, and their sons walk over, Jrumbot looking confused while Grumbot just nods, holding his little brother's hand. Maybe Mumbo didn’t understand what Grumbot was saying earlier, before the date. Surely Grumbot was just confused, not used to the world. “I guess I’ve gotta get the little one into bed, travel safe on your way home, both of you!”

“We will.” Mumbo promises, and he presses a kiss onto the corner of Grian’s mouth. “There’s a kiss in the corner of your mouth that I can never quite reach.”

“One day you will.”

“One day.” Mumbo smiles, and he kisses the top of Jrumbot’s head. “We need to make a tunnel between our bases, so that it’s easy for the kids to decide which Dad they stay with.”

“That’s a great idea!” Grian giggles as he pulls Grumbot into a hug. “Be good for your Dad, okay?”

“I will.” Grumbot promises, as Mumbo kneels down to Jrumbot’s level, kissing his face.

“Now, when your Dad tells you to go to sleep you do that, alright?” Mumbo says conspiratorially, and Jrumbot nods, enthralled. “But don’t tell him that I said that, okay?”

“Okay!” Jrumbot’s grin expands, and he turns up to Grian. “Papa! Dad just told me to do something but I’m not allowed to tell you what!”

“Oh really?” Grian’s eyes are comically wide, going along with the bit. “Well, I sure hope it’s good!”

“It is!”Jrumbot yells, throwing his arms into the air, hitting Mumbo in the face. “Sorry Dad.”

“No problem.” Mumbo says. “We’re going to go to my base now, you behave for your Papa, okay?”

“Okay, bye bye!” Jrumbot yells, pulling Grian into his mansion. Mumbo shuts the door, walking with Grumbot towards Grian’s hobbit hole so they can use the portal. Grumbot walks besides him, and Mumbo catches him sending the human curious glances.

“Did you have a question?” Mumbo asks, smiling at him.

“Was your date nice?” Grumbot asks quietly, almost as though he thinks that he’s crossing a line. Mumbo’s shoulders loosen slightly, relaxing. 

“It was lovely. Iskall was incredibly kind to offer his base as a place for us to have our date.” Mumbo knows that he has a dreamy look in his eyes, and Grumbot cocks his head to the side as he listens. “Grian and False almost got into a fight over what movie we wanted to watch, but Stress ended up picking the movie. You can’t argue with Stress.”

“Stress? Isn’t she running against you in the mayor race?” Grumbot asks, and Mumbo watches with fascination as something passes through Grumbot’s face. Anger, confusion, hurt. Maybe even betrayal, though Mumbo wouldn’t know.

“She is.” Mumbo nods. “She’s the woman who came and visited when you and Jrumbot got into your bodies for the first time.”

“Okay. Iskall is her campaign manager? Is that why he offered his base?”

“He’s her boyfriend as well.” Mumbo responds, and Grumbot makes a sound almost like a hum as they make their way through the portal to his base.

They walk in silence for a bit, and Mumbo can feel his eyes droop as he yawns. Waking up at 3am isn’t normal for the hermit, though he had wanted a few hours before Grian came around to make sure everything was ready. He doesn’t regret it, the few extra hours awake having ensured that the day went smoothly, but all he wants to do now is collapse into bed.

“I’m surprised they wanted you guys there.” Grumbot says as Mumbo sits on his bed, ready to go to sleep. Grumbot isn’t in the room, which startles Mumbo. “I could have  _ sworn _ that they hated you. I suppose they’re just being quiet about it. What people will tell you when they think you can’t tell anyone back.”

Mumbo’s thoughts race around his head, trying to defend himself, defend his friends, but he’s out like a light as his head hits the pillow.

\---

Jrumbot sits in his bed, struggling to read a book that he’s holding upside down. It’s one of Grian’s old books, one that his mother would read to him before bed. The thick book bound in red leather, the gold leafing flaking off around the edges, and the paper faded to a light brown. Grian smiles from the doorway, watching as his son tries to read the words.

“Do you need a hand?” Grian asks, and Jrumbot jumps, trying to hide the book under the blankets.

“I know I was meant to be going to bed papa but-”

“You’ve got too many thoughts?” Grian walks into the room, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Would you like me to read you a story from the book?”

“Yes!” Jrumbot pulls Grian down, and Grian laughs, swinging his legs up onto the bed and pulling out the book from under the covers. He turns it right way up, flicking to the contents page, searching for the story his mother had told him so often as a child. It was his favourite.

Upon finding it, Grian flicks to the page. About halfway through the book, an illustration of a rabbit and a villager child adorns the page. The drawing is faded, and the page is dogeared after Grian spent so much time on the page, but the title doesn’t appear to have faded, the ink still looking fresh.

“What does it say?” Jrumbot asks, tracing the letters carefully.

“The Hare and the Villager.” Grian narrates smoothly, pointing at the words as he says them. Grian turns the page as Jrumbot leans on him, the cool metal skin resting against Grian’s jumper. “Once upon a time, in a world far away, there lived a little villager who could talk to animals.”

“Could he, Papa? Could he really talk to animals?” Jrumbot asks, his eyes wide, but they don’t leave the pages, instead staring at the small picture.

“Yes, he could.” Grian smiles. “That small villager was very helpful, helping his parents herd sheep and catch fish.”

“But couldn’t he talk to fish, wouldn’t he hear them?”

“Uh,” Grian blanks, trying to think up an excuse. “No. No aquatic life could be understood.”

“Not even turtles?” Jrumbot asks.

“Some turtles.” Grian kisses Jrumbots cheeks, turning back to the story. “One day, the little villager got lost in the woods while he was collecting sticks for the fire.”

“No! No little villager!” Jrumbot gasps.

“The little villager looked all around, but he just couldn’t find his way back home!” Grian knows that he’s being over dramatic, but he doesn’t care, watching Jrumbot’s reactions out of the corner of his eyes. “Just when all hope was lost, a rabbit hopped along the path.”

“Yes!” Jrumbot shouts excitedly, throwing his hands in the air.

“The little villager turned to the rabbit, who had stoped to watch him. ‘Excuse me mr rabbit, but could you lead me to my village?’ he asked.” Grian smiles as he reads. “‘Why of course’ said the rabbit. ‘But i have one request: could you help me get my son out of the tree?’”

“Will he help the rabbit?” Jrumbot asks, his voice quiet and scared. Grian nods, wrapping his arm around Jrumbot’s shoulders.

“‘I will try.’ The little villager promises, and the rabbit leads him to a tree at the edge of the forest. The little villager can see a feast being made, and his arms and legs are tired and his stomach growls. But the rabbit points towards the tree, where a small rabbit is stuck.” Grian narrates. “The little villager climbs up the tree quickly, taking the small rabbit down to the ground.”

“He did it!” Jrumbot screams happily.

“The rabbit thanked the little villager profusely, taking his son back towards the forest. Before he leaves though, he gives the little villager a medallion of gold. The little villager came back to his village, and everyone ate well because he was home safe. The End.” Grian kisses the top of Jrumbot’s head. “Go to sleep now, you’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” Grian smiles, tucking the robot into the bed. Grian puts the book down on the desk before he turns the light off, exiting the room. “Sleep well.”

\---

The tall robot stands outside his father’s room, reading through the jornal his father keeps. Slowly, carefully, he begins to change some of the writing. Mumbo’s handwriting is easy enough to alter, to copy. He puts the jornal back down before he takes the communicator, scanning through the messages.

Mumbo For Mayor. 

That is his mission. He must complete his mission. Grian and Mumbo are amazing fathers, but they are fools. He will have to have full control of the entire project to make Mumbo mayor.

He will have to control them.


End file.
